Interdisciplinary Studies: PreK-3

Why study Interdisciplinary Studies: PreK-3 at APSU?

In the Department of Teaching and Learning you will have the opportunity to learn
the skills required to be a professional educator. Your Pre-K-3 Interdisciplinary
Studies will prepare to your be a successful classroom teacher in the primary grades.
All classes are taught by faculty with extensive training in the content and pedagogy
of elementary education. All faculty teaching in the program are experienced classroom
teachers with years of valuable practical experience. Extensive classroom practical
application is also a critical part of your training as a teacher. You will have the
opportunity to observe experienced educators, to work with primary aged children in
a variety of school settings, and to take the lead as the classroom teacher during
your final semesters. You will gain experiences that will prepare you to be a leading
professional educator of young children. The Martha Dickerson Eriksson College of
Education has an enduring reputation of producing some of the very best teachers in
the state, with area administrators seeking our graduates. As a student in the College
of Education, you will feel and experience the collaborative and supportive learning
environment as you work with your peers and faculty to fulfill your dream of becoming
a teacher.

What will I learn?

In the Interdisciplinary Studies Pre-K-3 Program you will have a broad-base and comprehensive
liberal arts education. In the Martha Dickerson Eriksson College of Education, you
will learn the important skill, pedagogical knowledge, and dispositional requirements
for teaching students in the primary classroom. Not only will you learn the information
and content to be an effective teacher of young children, you will have extensive
hands-on practical experiences in classroom with opportunities to teach young children
in individual settings, in small groups and as taking the lead as the teacher in the
classroom.

The Freshmen Seminar degree requirement completed by most students is APSU 1000. The
course is delivered in a small-class setting with like-minded students led by a faculty
member and a peer leader. The interdisciplinary course is intended to support first-semester
students and provide them with a foundation for university success. Emphasis is placed
on student engagement, university learning success strategies, support services, library
literacy, financial literacy, and academic and career planning. The first class meeting
of APSU 1000 during fall semesters is on Freshmen Convocation Day.

The general education core is designed to develop critical competencies in written
communication, oral communication, mathematical analysis, and critical thinking skills.
Students at APSU select coursework in the general education core in the areas of Communication,
Humanities and Fine Arts, Social and Behavioral Sciences, History, Natural Sciences,
and Mathematics. While the general education core requirements for graduation can
be met by choosing courses from each of these areas, some programs of study require
lower division courses that serve as prerequisites for upper division courses. Students
should consult the sample 4-year plans and confer with their academic advisors as
they choose their general education core courses.

What engagement opportunities are available to APSU students?

APSU fosters a positive campus environment that encourages active participation in
university life. In the Martha Dickerson Eriksson College of Education there are multiple
ways to become involved in student organizations that directly relate to your future
career as a teacher. We offer the Student Tennessee Education Association (STEA).
This organization is open to all education majors and offers many opportunities for
community involvement and volunteer opportunities, peer interactions, and professional
development training and conferences. The Kappa Delta Phi is also an exceptional honors
student leadership group and is open to all education students with a GPA of 3.0 or
higher. This organization offers leadership opportunities and community service options.
Both organizations are led by students and are sponsored by faculty in the College
of Education. As a student in the Pre-K-3 program, you will also have learning opportunities
in the Little Govs Learning Center on the campus at Austin Peay. This Childcare facility
offers extensive hands-on practical learning experiences with children in Pre-K and
Kindergarten.

What Do Interdisciplinary Studies: PreK-3 Majors Do After Graduation?

After graduation, there are many opportunities open to you! Of course as a licensed
teacher, you are highly employable and sought after by public and private schools
for teaching in grades Pre- K - 3. You may also choose to work in government agencies
and in the non-profit sector, such as hospitals, penial and court systems, and social
services. There are also multiple opportunities for employment in the business sector
and for publishing companies as a corporate trainer or curriculum writer. Also as
a Pre-K-3 educator, you may choose to open your own childcare center or work as a
director or teacher in a childcare facility. Additionally as a skilled teacher, you
may want to look internationally to teach in schools abroad or in governmental agencies
seeking teachers of English.